This Woman Had Her Thumb Amputated Because of Cancer Reportedly Caused By Biting Her Nails

Australian student Courtney Whithorn said she started biting her nails in 2014 while she was being bullied in her last year of school. After biting her nails as a way to cope with stress and anxiety, the 20-year-old reportedly developed a rare form of skin cancer on her thumb and had to get it amputated above the knuckle.

“I was bullied to the point where even the thought of going to school gave me anxiety, so much so that biting my nails became a coping mechanism,” the psychology student wrote in a Facebook post “I didn’t even realise that I had totally bitten my entire thumb nail off until I saw blood on my hand.”

Depression, anxiety and increased feelings of sadness and loneliness can all effects of bullying, according to StopBullying.gov. For people who are bullied when they are young, these impacts can carry over to adulthood — which is what Whithorn said happened to her.

“This bullying has been carried on outside of school and still affects me now, 4 years later,” she said.

Whithorn reportedly tried to hide her thumb from her family for four years. She told The Sun that she would keep her hand in a fist at all times because she was embarrassed by how it looked. She first went to the doctor for cosmetic reasons when the area turned black, since she was so self conscious about her thumb. The doctors could tell something was wrong and did a biopsy, according to The Sun.

Last July, Whithorn was diagnosed with acral lentiginous melanoma, a rare form of skin cancer that often occurs on the palms of the hands, underneath the nails, or soles of the feet, according to Healthline.

“When I found out that biting my nail off was the cause of the cancer it shattered me,” the 20-year-old told The Sun.

According to Medical News Today, acral lentiginous melanoma doesn't appear to be caused by sun exposure. The exact cause of this type of cancer is unknown, but some research suggests it may be linked to prior trauma to the skin or genetic risk.

After undergoing four surgeries to try to save her thumb following her cancer diagnosis, she ultimately had to have it amputated in order to stop the cancer from spreading. She is still waiting for test results to find out if her cancer is completely gone.

Whithorn made a post on Facebook following her surgery to send a message about bullying.

“What some people thought was some meaningless teasing and pushing around, has ultimately led to my cancer diagnosis,” she wrote. “Please make sure you think about what you say to and about people, because you truly have no idea the psychological, emotional and physical impact it can have on someone.”